Physico-chemical characteristics of distillery effluent samples have been determined. The water quality parameters (WQPs) measured are colour, pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride, total hardness (THA), calcium, iron, bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Almost all the values of WQPs of the distillery effluents have been found to be very high and well above the permissible limit suggested by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Electrocoagulation (EC) technique is employed to treat the distillery effluents. Removal efficiency of WQPs is compared by adopting EC technique with and without the addition of indigenously prepared activated areca nut [botanical name: Areca catechu; kotta pakku, in (vernacular)] carbon (AAC). About 99% of turbidity has been removed in both the cases. The experimental results also revealed that the WQPs like EC, TDS, etc. of the effluents could be reduced. Loss of weight of sacrificial electrode (anode) is also ascertained. EC with AAC is found to be more effective than EC without AAC. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.